A Word From Roker Report On Trialist Nicolas Medina's Time With Sunderland

Nicolas Medina is one of the few trialists in the Philadelphia Union's preseason training camp this year and he has a weird history with Sunderland, an English Premier League club.

I'm going to submit the following to you to read without comment (from Simon Walsh of Roker Report):

Wow, Nicolas Medina!

When Medina arrived at Sunderland we were all quite excited. We were already going through the buzz of Julio Arca, another unheralded young Argentine coming to the club and becoming an instant fans favourite. The same was expected of Medina, but he was held out of the first team picture despite us paying reportedly close to £3m for him.

Strangely he was held out of reserve team action quite often too, meaning he was something of an enigma to us all. Some of us even questioned whether he existed at all. Then one day, I believe but could be wrong, he started a League Cup game against Bolton away from home. In a team of fringe players and young kids making their debuts, he was withdrawn from action early having a complete shocker.

And then he disappeared again, not spotted until Niall Quinn's Testemonial game against the Republic of Ireland, during which he also failed to particularly shine.

From there he was eventually given the boot. Some suggest he couldn't settle in the area, but even if he couldn't one fact was pertinent -- he just wasn't very good.

When he left it was very much a "Oh, he was still here?" reaction which met the news. Ultimately he wasn't what we were looking for, with the main complaint from those lucky enough to see him that he wasn't strong enough or good enough to cope with English football.

I'm sure he's probably changed a bit now mind you.